List of counties in Tennessee
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There are 95 counties in the State of Tennessee. A county is a local level of government smaller than a state and typically larger than a city or town.
Alphabetical list[change | change source]
Click on the double triangles at the top of a column to sort the table by that column.
County |
FIPS Code [1] |
County Seat [2][3] |
Founded [2] |
Formed from [4] |
Named for[4] | Population (2000) [2][3][5] |
Area [2][6][3] |
Map |
Anderson County | 001 | Clinton | 1801 | Knox and Grainger Counties | Joseph Anderson (1757–1837), U.S. Senator from Tennessee and first Comptroller of the U.S. Treasury. | 71,330 | ( 875 km2) |
338 sq mi![]() |
Bedford County | 003 | Shelbyville | 1807 | Rutherford County | Revolutionary War officer Thomas Bedford, a large landowner in the area | 37,586 | ( 1,228 km2) |
474 sq mi![]() |
Benton County | 005 | Camden | 1835 | Humphreys County | Creek War veteran David Benton (1779–1860), an early settler in the county. | 16,537 | ( 1,020 km2) |
394 sq mi![]() |
Bledsoe County | 007 | Pikeville | 1807 | Roane County and Indian lands | Anthony Bledsoe, Revolutionary War soldier, surveyor, and early settler in Sumner County | 12,367 | ( 1,052 km2) |
406 sq mi![]() |
Blount County | 009 | Maryville | 1795 | Knox County | William Blount (1749–1800), governor of the Southwest Territory and later U.S. Senator | 105,823 | ( 1,448 km2) |
559 sq mi![]() |
Bradley County | 011 | Cleveland | 1836 | Indian lands | Tennessee state legislator Edward Bradley. | 87,965 | ( 852 km2) |
329 sq mi![]() |
Campbell County | 013 | Jacksboro | 1806 | Anderson and Claiborne counties | Virginia House of Burgesses member Arthur Campbell (1743–1811), who was a negotiator of Indian treaties. | 39,854 | ( 1,243 km2) |
480 sq mi![]() |
Cannon County | 015 | Woodbury | 1836 | Rutherford, Smith and Warren counties | Governor of Tennessee Newton Cannon (1781–1841). | 12,826 | ( 689 km2) |
266 sq mi![]() |
Carroll County | 017 | Huntingdon | 1821 | Indian lands | Governor of Tennessee William Carroll (1788–1844). | 29,475 | ( 1,551 km2) |
599 sq mi![]() |
Carter County | 019 | Elizabethton | 1796 | Washington County | Speaker of the State of Franklin senate Landon Carter (1710–1778). | 56,742 | ( 883 km2) |
341 sq mi![]() |
Cheatham County | 021 | Ashland City | 1856 | Davidson, Dickson, Montgomery and Robertson counties | Tennessee state legislator Edward Cheatham. | 35,912 | ( 785 km2) |
303 sq mi![]() |
Chester County | 023 | Henderson | 1879 | Hardeman, Henderson, McNairy and Madison counties | Tennessee state legislator Robert I. Chester. | 15,540 | ( 749 km2) |
289 sq mi![]() |
Claiborne County | 025 | Tazewell | 1801 | Grainger and Hawkins counties | Governor of Louisiana and Governor of Mississippi Territory William C. C. Claiborne (1775–1817). | 29,862 | ( 1,124 km2) |
434 sq mi![]() |
Clay County | 027 | Celina | 1870 | Jackson and Overton counties | U.S. Speaker of the House and Secretary of State Henry Clay (1777–1852). | 7,976 | ( 611 km2) |
236 sq mi![]() |
Cocke County | 029 | Newport | 1797 | Jefferson County | William Cocke (1747–1828), one of Tennessee's first U.S. Senators. | 33,565 | ( 1,124 km2) |
434 sq mi![]() |
Coffee County | 031 | Manchester | 1836 | Bedford, Warren and Franklin counties | John Coffee (1772–1833), frontiersman, planter, and veteran of Creek War and War of 1812. | 48,014 | ( 1,111 km2) |
429 sq mi![]() |
Crockett County | 033 | Alamo | 1871 | Haywood, Madison, Dyer and Gibson counties | Davy Crockett (1786–1836), frontier humorist, Congressman, and defender of the Alamo. | 14,532 | ( 686 km2) |
265 sq mi![]() |
Cumberland County | 035 | Crossville | 1855 | White, Bledsoe, Rhea, Morgan, Fentress and Putnam counties | The Cumberland Mountains. | 46,802 | ( 1,766 km2) |
682 sq mi![]() |
Davidson County | 037 | Nashville | 1783 | Part of North Carolina | William Lee Davidson (1746–1781), a Brigadier General who died at the Revolutionary War Battle of Cowan's Ford. | 569,891 | ( 1,300 km2) |
502 sq mi![]() |
Decatur County | 039 | Decaturville | 1845 | Perry County | U.S. naval officer and War of 1812 hero Stephen Decatur (1779–1820). | 11,731 | ( 862 km2) |
333 sq mi![]() |
DeKalb County | 041 | Smithville | 1837 | Franklin, Cannon, Jackson and White counties | Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), a German-born baron who assisted the Continentals during the American Revolutionary War. | 17,423 | ( 787 km2) |
304 sq mi![]() |
Dickson County | 043 | Charlotte | 1803 | Montgomery and Robertson counties | U.S. Representative William Dickson (1770–1816). | 43,156 | ( 1,269 km2) |
490 sq mi![]() |
Dyer County | 045 | Dyersburg | 1823 | Indian lands | Tennessee state legislator Robert Henry Dyer. | 37,279 | ( 1,321 km2) |
510 sq mi![]() |
Fayette County | 047 | Somerville | 1824 | Indian lands | Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (1757–1834), a French-born general in the American Revolutionary War. | 28,796 | ( 1,826 km2) |
705 sq mi![]() |
Fentress County | 049 | Jamestown | 1823 | Morgan, Overton and White counties | Tennessee state legislator James Fentress. | 16,625 | ( 1,292 km2) |
499 sq mi![]() |
Franklin County | 051 | Winchester | 1807 | Rutherford County and Indian lands | Publisher, scholar, orator, and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790). | 39,270 | ( 1,432 km2) |
553 sq mi![]() |
Gibson County | 053 | Trenton | 1823 | Indian lands | John H. Gibson, a soldier of the Natchez Expedition and the Creek War. | 48,154 | ( 1,562 km2) |
603 sq mi![]() |
Giles County | 055 | Pulaski | 1809 | Indian lands | U.S. Senator and Governor of Virginia William B. Giles (1762–1830). | 29,447 | ( 1,582 km2) |
611 sq mi![]() |
Grainger County | 057 | Rutledge | 1796 | Hawkins and Knox counties | Mary Grainger Blount, wife of William Blount and "first lady" of the Southwest Territory, which later became Tennessee. | 20,659 | ( 725 km2) |
280 sq mi![]() |
Greene County | 059 | Greeneville | 1783 | Washington County | American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene (1742–1786). | 62,909 | ( 1,611 km2) |
622 sq mi![]() |
Grundy County | 061 | Altamont | 1844 | Coffee, Warren and Franklin counties | U.S. Attorney General Felix Grundy (1777–1840). | 14,332 | ( 935 km2) |
361 sq mi![]() |
Hamblen County | 063 | Morristown | 1870 | Jefferson, Grainger and Greene counties | Early settler Hezekiah Hamblen. | 58,128 | ( 417 km2) |
161 sq mi![]() |
Hamilton County | 065 | Chattanooga | 1819 | Rhea County and Indian lands | First U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and Founding Father Alexander Hamilton (1755 or 1757–1804). | 307,896 | ( 1,406 km2) |
543 sq mi![]() |
Hancock County | 067 | Sneedville | 1844 | Hawkins and Claiborne counties | President of the Continental Congress John Hancock (1737–1793). | 6,780 | ( 575 km2) |
222 sq mi![]() |
Hardeman County | 069 | Bolivar | 1823 | Hardin County and Indian lands | Thomas Jones Hardeman, Creek War and War of 1812 soldier, later a member of the Republic of Texas legislature. | 28,105 | ( 1,730 km2) |
668 sq mi![]() |
Hardin County | 071 | Savannah | 1819 | Indian lands | Joseph Hardin, legislator of the Southwest Territory and State of Franklin. | 25,578 | ( 1,497 km2) |
578 sq mi![]() |
Hawkins County | 073 | Rogersville | 1786 | Sullivan County | U.S. Senator Benjamin Hawkins (1754–1816). | 53,563 | ( 1,261 km2) |
487 sq mi![]() |
Haywood County | 075 | Brownsville | 1823 | Indian lands | Judge John Haywood (1762–1826), called "the father of Tennessee history." | 19,797 | ( 1,380 km2) |
533 sq mi![]() |
Henderson County | 077 | Lexington | 1821 | Indian lands | James Henderson, an officer of the War of 1812. | 25,522 | ( 1,347 km2) |
520 sq mi![]() |
Henry County | 079 | Paris | 1821 | Indian lands | Revolutionary-era orator and Virginia legislator Patrick Henry (1736–1799). | 31,115 | ( 1,456 km2) |
562 sq mi![]() |
Hickman County | 081 | Centerville | 1807 | Dickson County | Edwin Hickman, a longhunter killed by Native Americans near the present-day site of Centerville. | 22,295 | ( 1,588 km2) |
613 sq mi![]() |
Houston County | 083 | Erin | 1871 | Dickson, Humphreys, Montgomery and Stewart counties | Sam Houston (1793–1863), Tennessee governor and congressman, president of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator from Texas, and Texas governor. | 8,088 | ( 518 km2) |
200 sq mi![]() |
Humphreys County | 085 | Waverly | 1809 | Stewart County | U.S. Representative Parry Wayne Humphreys (1778–1839). | 17,929 | ( 1,378 km2) |
532 sq mi![]() |
Jackson County | 087 | Gainesboro | 1801 | Smith County and Indian lands | U.S. President Andrew Jackson (1767–1845). | 10,984 | ( 800 km2) |
309 sq mi![]() |
Jefferson County | 089 | Dandridge | 1792 | Greene and Hawkins counties | U.S. President and Founding Father Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826). | 44,294 | ( 710 km2) |
274 sq mi![]() |
Johnson County | 091 | Mountain City | 1836 | Carter County | Thomas Johnson, an early settler of Carter County along the Doe River. | 17,499 | ( 774 km2) |
299 sq mi![]() |
Knox County | 093 | Knoxville | 1792 | Greene and Hawkins counties | Henry Knox (1750–1806), the first U.S. Secretary of War. | 382,032 | ( 1,318 km2) |
509 sq mi![]() |
Lake County | 095 | Tiptonville | 1870 | Obion County | Reelfoot Lake | 7,954 | ( 422 km2) |
163 sq mi![]() |
Lauderdale County | 097 | Ripley | 1835 | Haywood, Dyer and Tipton counties | James Lauderdale, who was killed in the War of 1812. | 27,101 | ( 1,217 km2) |
470 sq mi![]() |
Lawrence County | 099 | Lawrenceburg | 1817 | Hickman County and Indian lands | U.S. naval officer and War of 1812 hero James Lawrence (1781–1813). | 39,926 | ( 1,598 km2) |
617 sq mi![]() |
Lewis County | 101 | Hohenwald | 1843 | Hickman, Lawrence, Maury and Wayne counties | Meriwether Lewis (1774–1809), explorer of the American West. | 11,367 | ( 730 km2) |
282 sq mi![]() |
Lincoln County | 103 | Fayetteville | 1809 | Bedford County | U.S. Secretary of War Benjamin Lincoln (1733–1810). | 31,340 | ( 1,476 km2) |
570 sq mi![]() |
Loudon County | 105 | Loudon | 1870 | Roane, Monroe, Blount and McMinn counties | Fort Loudoun, which was named for John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun, who led British and American forces during the French and Indian War. | 39,086 | ( 593 km2) |
229 sq mi![]() |
Macon County | 111 | Lafayette | 1842 | Smith and Sumner counties | U.S. Senator Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837). | 20,386 | ( 795 km2) |
307 sq mi![]() |
Madison County | 113 | Jackson | 1821 | Indian lands | U.S. President James Madison (1758–1836). | 91,837 | ( 1,443 km2) |
557 sq mi![]() |
Marion County | 115 | Jasper | 1817 | Indian lands | Francis Marion (1732–1795), the "Swamp Fox" of the American Revolutionary War. | 27,776 | ( 1,295 km2) |
500 sq mi![]() |
Marshall County | 117 | Lewisburg | 1836 | Giles, Bedford, Lincoln and Maury counties | U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall (1755–1835). | 26,767 | ( 971 km2) |
375 sq mi![]() |
Maury County | 119 | Columbia | 1807 | Williamson County and Indian lands | Tennessee state legislator Abram Poindexter Maury (1801–1848). | 69,498 | ( 1,588 km2) |
613 sq mi![]() |
McMinn County | 107 | Athens | 1819 | Indian lands | Governor of Tennessee Joseph McMinn (1758–1824). | 49,015 | ( 1,114 km2) |
430 sq mi![]() |
McNairy County | 109 | Selmer | 1823 | Hardin County | John McNairy, judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Tennessee. | 24,653 | ( 1,450 km2) |
560 sq mi![]() |
Meigs County | 121 | Decatur | 1836 | Rhea County | Return Jonathan Meigs (1740–1823), an officer in the Continental Army who was for many years a federal Indian and military agent in Tennessee. | 11,086 | ( 505 km2) |
195 sq mi![]() |
Monroe County | 123 | Madisonville | 1819 | Indian lands | U.S. President James Monroe (1758–1831). | 38,961 | ( 1,645 km2) |
635 sq mi![]() |
Montgomery County | 125 | Clarksville | 1796 | Tennessee County | John Montgomery (c. 1750–1794), leader of the Nickajack Expedition. | 134,768 | ( 1,396 km2) |
539 sq mi![]() |
Moore County | 127 | Lynchburg | 1871 | Bedford, Lincoln and Franklin counties | Tennessee state legislator William Moore. | 5,740 | ( 334 km2) |
129 sq mi![]() |
Morgan County | 129 | Wartburg | 1817 | Anderson and Roane counties | American Revolutionary War officer Daniel Morgan (1736–1802). | 19,757 | ( 1,352 km2) |
522 sq mi![]() |
Obion County | 131 | Union City | 1823 | Indian lands | The Obion River. | 32,450 | ( 1,412 km2) |
545 sq mi![]() |
Overton County | 133 | Livingston | 1806 | Jackson County and Indian lands | John Overton (1766–1833), one of the cofounders of Memphis, Tennessee. | 20,118 | ( 1,121 km2) |
433 sq mi![]() |
Perry County | 135 | Linden | 1819 | Humphreys and Hickman counties | U.S. naval officer and War of 1812 hero Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819). | 7,631 | ( 1,075 km2) |
415 sq mi![]() |
Pickett County | 137 | Byrdstown | 1879 | Fentress and Overton counties | Tennessee state legislator Howell L. Pickett. | 4,945 | ( 422 km2) |
163 sq mi![]() |
Polk County | 139 | Benton | 1839 | McMinn and Bradley counties | U.S. President James K. Polk (1795–1849). | 16,050 | ( 1,127 km2) |
435 sq mi![]() |
Putnam County | 141 | Cookeville | 1854 | Fentress, Jackson, Smith, White and Overton counties | American Revolutionary War officer Israel Putnam (1718–1790). | 62,315 | ( 1,039 km2) |
401 sq mi![]() |
Rhea County | 143 | Dayton | 1807 | Roane County | U.S. Representative John Rhea (1753–1832). | 28,400 | ( 818 km2) |
316 sq mi![]() |
Roane County | 145 | Kingston | 1801 | Knox County and Indian lands | Governor of Tennessee Archibald Roane (1759 or 1760–1819). | 51,910 | ( 935 km2) |
361 sq mi![]() |
Robertson County | 147 | Springfield | 1796 | Tennessee and Sumner counties | James Robertson (1742–1814), Tennessee state legislator and founder of the Watauga Settlements. | 54,433 | ( 1,235 km2) |
477 sq mi![]() |
Rutherford County | 149 | Murfreesboro | 1803 | Davidson, Williamson and Wilson counties | Griffin Rutherford, chairman of the legislature of the Southwest Territory. | 182,023 | ( 1,603 km2) |
619 sq mi![]() |
Scott County | 151 | Huntsville | 1849 | Anderson, Campbell, Fentress and Morgan counties | US. Army general and hero of the Mexican-American War Winfield Scott (1786–1866). | 21,127 | ( 1,378 km2) |
532 sq mi![]() |
Sequatchie County | 153 | Dunlap | 1857 | Hamilton, Marion and Warren counties | Cherokee word believed to mean, opossum, he grins or runs. | 11,370 | ( 689 km2) |
266 sq mi![]() |
Sevier County | 155 | Sevierville | 1794 | Jefferson County | John Sevier (1745–1815), governor of the State of Franklin and first Governor of Tennessee. | 71,170 | ( 1,533 km2) |
592 sq mi![]() |
Shelby County | 157 | Memphis | 1819 | Chickasaw Nation lands acquired through the Jackson Purchase.[7] | Isaac Shelby (1750–1826), commander at Kings Mountain, first governor of Kentucky, and negotiator of the purchase of the western district from the Chickasaws. | 897,472 | ( 1,955 km2) |
755 sq mi![]() |
Smith County | 159 | Carthage | 1799 | Sumner County and Indian lands | American Revolutionary War officer and U.S. Senator Daniel Smith (1748–1818). | 17,712 | ( 813 km2) |
314 sq mi![]() |
Stewart County | 161 | Dover | 1803 | Montgomery County | Duncan Stewart, Tennessee state legislator and lieutenant governor of Mississippi Territory. | 12,370 | ( 1,186 km2) |
458 sq mi![]() |
Sullivan County | 163 | Blountville | 1779 | Washington County | Governor of New Hampshire John Sullivan (1740–1795). | 153,048 | ( 1,070 km2) |
413 sq mi![]() |
Sumner County | 165 | Gallatin | 1786 | Davidson County | Jethro Sumner (1733–1785), an American colonist who defended North Carolina against the British in 1780. | 130,449 | ( 1,370 km2) |
529 sq mi![]() |
Tipton County | 167 | Covington | 1823 | Shelby County (previously Chickasaw lands)[7] | Jacob Tipton, father of Armistead Blevins, who supervised the organization of Shelby County; Tipton was killed by Native Americans in 1791 in a conflict over the Northwest Territory.[7] | 51,271 | ( 1,189 km2) |
459 sq mi![]() |
Trousdale County | 169 | Hartsville | 1870 | Wilson, Macon, Smith and Sumner counties | William Trousdale (1790–1872), Creek and Mexican-American War soldier and officer, state senator and Governor of Tennessee. | 7,259 | ( 295 km2) |
114 sq mi![]() |
Unicoi County | 171 | Erwin | 1875 | Washington and Carter County | Native American word for the southern Appalachian Mountains, probably meaning white or fog-draped | 17,667 | ( 482 km2) |
186 sq mi![]() |
Union County | 173 | Maynardville | 1850 | Grainger, Claiborne, Campbell, Anderson and Knox counties | Either for its creation from parts of five counties or to memorialize East Tennessee's support for preservation of the Union | 17,808 | ( 580 km2) |
224 sq mi![]() |
Van Buren County | 175 | Spencer | 1840 | Warren and White counties | U.S. President Martin Van Buren (1782–1862) | 5,508 | ( 640 km2) |
247 sq mi![]() |
Warren County | 177 | McMinnville | 1807 | White, Jackson, Smith counties and Indian lands | American Revolutionary War officer Joseph Warren (1741–1775), who sent Paul Revere on his famous midnight ride | 38,276 | ( 1,121 km2) |
433 sq mi![]() |
Washington County | 179 | Jonesborough | 1777 | Part of North Carolina | U.S. President George Washington (1732–1799) | 107,198 | ( 844 km2) |
326 sq mi![]() |
Wayne County | 181 | Waynesboro | 1817 | Hickman County | American Revolutionary War General "Mad" Anthony Wayne (1745–1796) | 16,842 | ( 1,901 km2) |
734 sq mi![]() |
Weakley County | 183 | Dresden | 1823 | Indian lands | U.S. Representative Robert Weakley (1764–1845). | 34,895 | ( 1,502 km2) |
580 sq mi![]() |
White County | 185 | Sparta | 1806 | Jackson and Smith counties | John White, Revolutionary War soldier and the first European-American settler in the county | 23,102 | ( 976 km2) |
377 sq mi![]() |
Williamson County | 187 | Franklin | 1799 | Davidson County | U.S. Representative Hugh Williamson (1735–1819). | 126,638 | ( 1,507 km2) |
582 sq mi![]() |
Wilson County | 189 | Lebanon | 1799 | Sumner County | David Wilson, a member of the legislatures of North Carolina and the Southwest Territory. | 88,808 | ( 1,479 km2) |
571 sq mi![]() |
Former counties[change | change source]
There are two former counties in Tennessee:
- James County (1870–1919) - Now part of Hamilton County. The county seat was Ooltewah.
- Tennessee County (1788–1796) - When Tennessee achieved statehood, the previous Tennessee County in North Carolina became Tennessee County, Tennessee, and was divided into Montgomery and Robertson Counties.
Consolidated counties[change | change source]
Three Tennessee counties operate under consolidated city-county governments, a city and county that have been merged into one jurisdiction. As such, these governments are simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state.
- City of Nashville and Davidson County
- City of Lynchburg and Moore County
- City of Hartsville and Trousdale County
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Retrieved 2007-11-28. CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "About Counties - Tennessee". NACO.org. National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2007-10-24. Retrieved 2007-11-28. CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 State, County, and Municipal Data Tennessee Blue Book 2005-2006, pages 616-626
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Origins Of Tennessee County Names, Tennessee Blue Book 2005-2006, pages 508-513
- ↑ "US Census Bureau". Geographic Comparison Table. Retrieved 2007-12-31. CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Tennessee QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2007-11-18. Retrieved 2007-11-28. CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link) (2000 Census)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Tipton County in the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture